Rachel Baack

Summary: Brainstorm explains the essence of adolescence in a way that allows both teens and adults to engage with their own brains and development as well as the minds of others. A few important takeaways for me were the idea of taking time-in to feel one’s sensations, images, feelings, and thoughts; the importance of being a secure, dependable attachment figure rather than an absent or unpredictable one; and the necessity of simply being present—being there for others without judgement, and really experiencing their feelings and listening to what they have to say.

Summary: In this poem, an old sailor tells the story of how he killed an albatross and then suffered all kinds of bad luck and strange occurrences at sea.

Summary: Ponyboy is a member of a gang called the Greasers. The gang is like a family to him, and he knows they’ll always have his back against their rival gang, the Socs. One night, after Ponyboy has a fight with his brother and runs out of his house, he and a fellow greaser get into more trouble than they ever imagined.

Summary: Huck Finn runs away from home and meets up with Jim, who has escaped slavery and with whom Huck experiences a series of adventures. Although the book is told through the young Huck Finn’s perspective, it deals with some heavy themes, such as racism and injustice.

Summary: In this autobiography, Michelle Obama recounts her experience growing up on Chicago’s Southside, getting a higher education at Princeton and Harvard, meeting Barack Obama—the man who would become her husband and the 44th president of the United States—seeking purpose in her career, becoming a mother, and taking on the role of First Lady.

When reading this book, I was struck by just how incredibly impressive Michelle Obama is: she is an intelligent, driven woman who has worked to improve the lives of others on a gigantic scale, remained dedicated to raising her daughters well and with love, supported the political career of her husband without ever losing herself, and, through it all, carried herself with grace.